This invention relates to a ball bat, and more particularly to a bat with inner and outer tubular members with an elastomeric interface therebetween, and a method for manufacturing such.
Tubular metallic softball and baseball bats are well known in the art. A familiar example is a tubular aluminum bat. Such bats have the advantage of a generally good impact response, meaning that the bat effectively transfers power to a batted ball. This effective power transfer results in ball players achieving good distances with batted balls. An additional advantage is improved durability over crack-prone wooden bats.
Even though present aluminum bats perform well, there is a continuing quest for bats with better hitting capability. Accordingly, one important need is to optimize the impact response of a bat. Further, it is important to provide a bat with proper weighting so that its swing weight is apportioned to provide an appropriate center of gravity and swing speed and impact components during use.
Further, constraining the design of aluminum bats is the requirement that the elastic deflection not be accompanied by any plastic deformation. Plastic deflection lessens the power transferred to a ball and leaves the bat permanently dented. Thus, it is desirable to be able to provide a reinforcement for the impact region of the bat, which otherwise may be so thin as to be plastically deformed during hitting. But on the other hand, the tubular wall must not be so thick that it is too stiff to elastically deflect appreciably.
In light of the shortcomings of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bat.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simple construction for a tubular bat with inner and outer tubular members.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a bat having an elongate impact portion is formed with a first tubular member and a second tubular member substantially concentric with the first tubular member. The first and second tubular members have facing cylindrical surfaces throughout a majority of the length of the impact portion and elastomeric material is interposed between the facing cylindrical surfaces.
Further, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an elongate tubular metal member has a circular-striking portion, with the striking portion having an interior surface defining an interior cavity. An elongate tubular metal insert is located within the interior cavity and has an exterior surface complementary to and throughout a majority of its length slightly smaller than the interior of the striking portion. An elastomeric material is interposed between the interior surface and the exterior surface to permit some relative movement between the insert and the surrounding tubular member when a ball is batted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing an improved bat.